Automatic railway-coupling.



APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1911.

Patented Aug.18, 1914.

5 SHEETSr-SHEET 1.

Wif-Resses:

A. LANZDORF.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY COUPLING.

APPLIUATIION FILED APR. 15, 1911- 1,107,324, Patented Aug. 18, 1914..

5 $HEETSSHEET 2.

II/MW A. LANZDO-RF. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY GOUPLING.

APPLICATION IILBD' APE. 15,1911. 1 ,107, 324;, Patented Aug". 18, 19M

5 SHEETB-SHEET 3.

38 l nto'r' A. LANZDORF. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY COUPLING.

APPLICATION TILED APR. 15 1911.

1 107 324 Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

5 SHEETSSHEBT 4.

ZZW @Z'" THE NORRIS PETERS CD.. PHOTO LITHO. wAsluNu roN, u. c

A LANZDORP. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY COUPLING.

APPLICATION IILBD APR. 15, 1911.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

5 SHEETBSHEBT 5.

ADOLF LANZDORF, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug.18, 1914.

Application fi1ed April 15, 1911. Serial'No. 621,287.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADoLr LANZDORF, a subjectof the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, a lieutenant of the Austrian Army,and a resident of 1 Leyserstrasse, Vienna, XIII/3, Austria-Hungary haveinvented Improvements in and Re ating to Automatic Railway-Couplings;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will en'- able others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention has for its object the uncoupling of any desirednumber or series of vehicles either by making provision for theuncoupling before the detachment of each series of vehicles or byeffecting the operations in advance for all the series of the entiretrain, the breaking up of the train into the several series being theneffected from the locomotive.

The first method of uncoupling is effected in accordance with thepresent invention, by arranging a distributing member in the pressuretrain pipes by the adjustment of which distributing member the pressureeffect produced by a suitable pump arranged upon or in connection withthe locomotive is transmitted to the piston arranged on the vehiclewhich releases the vehicle coupling so that the vehicles situated behindthis coupling are detached. With this method of uncouplingnotwithstanding the fact that only one pipe is operative, two trainpipes must be provided to permit of coupling in any position of thevehicles. For the second method of uncoupling the ends of these twotrain pipes are connected by a transverse pipe. \Vhen vehicles arecoupled, this transverse pipe is closed by the pipe ends inserted onewithin the other but it remains open in the case of the vehicle whichfor the time being is the last of the train so that a continuous conduitextending from the locomotive to the last vehicle and through theconnecting conduit of the latter back to the locomotive is provided.lVith this arrangement one pipe serves as the out pipe and the other asthe home pipe for the pressure medium. A distributing member is insertedin each of these pipes on each vehicle. Now if for example series ofone, two, three or more vehicles are to be uncoupled from the train insuccession, distributing members in the return conduit of each series ofvehicles are suitably adjusted. The pressure medium thus finds itsoutward path open and proceeds over the last vehicle into the returnconduit where the distributing member suitably adjusted in the selectedvehicle directs it to the respective piston and by actuating the samedetaches the first series of vehicles. By the uncoupling the connectingpipe between the out and home train pipes on the vehicle which nowbecomes the last of the train is opened thus causing the pressure mediumto reach the next adjusted distributing member and effect the uncouplingof the next series of vehicles, and so forth. In accordance with theinvention the train pipe with the distributing member can likewise beutilized as a brake pipe for the vacuum or compressed air brake. lViththis object the distributing members are adjustable in such a mannerthat the return conduit can be closed and the outward conduit beconnected with the brake pipe or with the cylinder of the brake piston,so that upon exhausting the outward conduit or introducing a pressuremedium into it the brake piston is actuated. The ends of the train pipeon each vehicle can also be connected with those of the heating pipe andthe latter can be formed in such a manner that when two vehicles meet,the heating pipe is automatically coupled.

In the accompanying drawing Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the formationof the releasing device in which for each uncoupling of a series ofvehicles the preparation necessary for the uncoupling must be effected.Fig. 1 illustrates the apparatus in longitudinal section. Fig. '2 is asimilar view with the distributing member adjusted, Figs. 2 and 2 aredetail views and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevation of the apparatus asa whole as viewed from the under side of the vehicle. Figs. 4 to 20illustrate the construction of the apparatus for uncoupling the vehiclesin series afterthe manipulations for detaching all the series ofvehicles have been effected. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the pipe endswhich are formed as buffers and comprise cylindrical slide valves. Fig.6 shows the'two bufi'ers in the coupling position. Figs. 7 and 8illustrate two modified forms of butter. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views.Fig. 10 shows the position and connection of the pipe ends formed asbuffers in rear levation. Fig. 11 shows the same in V manner.

plan. Fig. 12 is an underneath plan thereof. Figs. 13 to 16 show thedistributing member in four different positions. Figs. 17 and 18 showthe actuating and resetting device for the distributing member. Fig. 19.shows a discharge or admission valve connected with the distributingmember for the train pipe. Fi 20 shows the coupling device for theheating pipe. Fig. 21 shows the hook and eye vehicle coupling. Fig. 22shows a locking device for the coupling, and Fig. 23 shows the apparatusas a whole mounted on a half vehicle.

The constructional forms of the releasing device represented by way ofexample in the drawings are adapted for the employment of a pressuremedium compressed air in particular.

In accordance with the constructional form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3,one end of the pressure conduit 1 extending through the vehicle iswidened out to form a cylin-i drical casing 125. This casing contains anumber of plates 126 which are radially dis placeable and overlaplaterally; these plates are subjected to the action of springs 12'? insuch manner that they are pressed against the center of the casing sothat they expose a conical passage 1'28 (Fig. 1). One of these plates isconnected with a slide 129 serving to close the train pipe in an airtight When the vehicles are coupled, the conically tapering pipe end 130of the other vehicle enters the opening 128 and forces the plates 126apart and owing to the positive connection the slide 129 is opened (Fig.2). By this means a through train pipe is formed as far as the closedslide of the last vehicle. A three way cock 63 is mounted in the trainpipe as the distribut- .ing member; by means of a branch pipe 61 it isconnected with the pressure cylinder 57 of a piston 59 serving forreleasing the coupling. The automatically acting vehicle couplingconsisting of hook and eye 110 and 111 (Fig. 3) can be of any convenientconstruction.

If the coupling is to be disconnected at any part of the train, that isto say if it be desired to uncouple a number of vehicles from the trainthe three way cock of the last vehicle of the series of vehicles to beuncoupled is rotated through 90 in the direction indicated by the arrowin Fig. 1. By this means the pipe proceeding from the locomotive isclosed toward the rear by the adjusted cock but placed in communicationwith the pressure cylinder of the vehicle in question. Now if steam orcompressed air be despatched from the locomotive into the train pipe itfinds the pipe closed by the three way cock and is conducted through theconduit 61 to the pressure cylinder 57 where it forces the piston 59forward. thereby uncoupling the vehicles, either by means of directshock on the coupling or by means of lever mechanism 131 (Fig. 3).

WVhen theseries of vehicles is uncoupled the conically formed end 130 ofthe detached vehicle withdraws from the widened pipe end 125 of the lastvehicle remaining on the train whereby the slide 129 of thislast vehicleis closed. The conical pipe ends are pro vided toward the end, as shownin Figs. 2 and 2", with fluting 130 so that during the separation of thepipe-coupling the pressure medium, in the trainpipe, can escape beforethe pipe is closed by means of the slide.

In order to be able to use the apparatus described above when thevehicle is reversed, as shown in Fig. 3 two similarly formed conduits 1and 2 are provided so that according as the locomotive is situated onone or other side of the vehicle one or other of these conduits can beused. The other :constructional form of the releasing device is asfollows: As shown in Fig. 23 the ends of the two train pipes 1 and 2extending throughout the vehicle are formed as buffers 3 and 4: which,if desired, can serve to replace the buffers heretofore usuallyemployed. The buffer plate 5 (Fig. 4:) of one pipe end is formed with ahopper-shaped recess 6 while the plate of the other, that is to say theadjacent pipe end comprises a conical projection 7 (Fig. 5) exactlyfitting the cavity 6 in the-first buffer plate, a gradually taperingtubular projection 8 connecting with this projection 7. Behind thebuffer plate the pipe ends are formed as a cylindrical casing 9inclosing the butter spring and a cylindrical slide valve subjected tothe influence of this spring. The casing 9 of the buffer shaped buffer(Fig. 4) is closed at its rear end by a cap 10 which comprises a hollowcylindrical extension 11 closed at its end. In this extension acylindrical slide valve 12 is slidably arranged being pressed againstthe buffer plate by the spring 14:bearing on a flange 13 of tle slide.By means of a front annular extension 15 the slide engages in an annulargroove in a packing piston 16 movably mounted in the casing, themovement of this piston being limited by the end wall of the casing andby the pin 17. The piston is conically bored for the passage of thetubular projection 8; for the purpose of closing the pipe in anair-tight manner a conically shaped sleeve 18, resilient toward itsperiphery, is inserted in this bore and secured to the piston by a screwcap 19. The resiliency of the sleeve is obtained owing to the fact thatit is provided with incisions 20 proceeding alternately from either sideand alternately overlapping (Fig. 9). These incisions can berectilinear, or as shown in Fig. 9 in broken lines, they may runhelically. Between the sleeve and the piston an interval is left andfilled with a suitable the like. Owing to the resilient formation of thesleeve in combination with the packing material a packing'zone runningzigzag peripherally is provided and packs the entering tubularprojection 8 of the other buffer. The slide casing 11 comprises twoopenings 22, 23 while the cylindrical slide valve 12 is'provided with apassage 24-.

- Fig. 7 illustrates a different construction as regards the connectionof the cylindrical slide valve with the piston; this constructiondiffers from that described above only owing to the fact that thetubular extension 15 of the slide valve does not engage in an annulargroove in the piston but between the piston and the wall of the casing.

The buffer furnished with the tubular extension 8 is formed similarly tothe buffer described above. Here the cylindrical slide valve 25 formsone piece with the buffer plate 5 as the slide valve projects into thevalve slide casing 26 as an extension of the tubular projection from theplate. The spring casing 27 is screwed on to the casing, its spring 14:pressing on .a sleeve 28 of the buffer plate which extends between thevalve casing and the spring casing. By means of screws 29 a limitedmovement of the buffer and of the cylindrical slide is produced in onedirection and an elastic movement in the other direction is produced bythe springing.

Fig. 8 illustrates a simpler mode of construction which consists inomitting the spring casing 27 and arranging the spring let in the space30 formed by the cylindrical valve 25, 28 and the valve casing 26. Oneend of the spring 14: rests upon the valve casing. its other end pressesagainst the cylindrical valve the movements of which are limited by aflange 28 which comes into contact with the shoulder 26 of thecylindrical valve. The slide valve casing and the cylindrical slidevalve are provided with openings 22, 23 and 24 in a similar manner tothe buffer described above. In the forward position of the slide valvethe openings 22, 23 in the casing are opened, but the opening 24 in theslide is covered. In the rear position of the slide the opening 2 1registers with the opening 22 and the opening 23 in the casing isclosed.- The openings 22 of the two slide casings communicate by meansof flexible connections 31 (Fig. 23) with the two rigid train pipes 1and 2 fixed in the middle of the frame, while on the openings 23 isfitted a pipe 32 connecting the two train pipes respectively to theslide valve casing of the buffers lying side by side (Fig. 10).Consequently a similarly formed conduit proceeds under the vehicle fromboth.

ends of the vehicle, this conduit being connected at the end of thetrain with the other train pipe. Now if two vehicles provided with thisapparatus meet, the cylindrical slide valve 25 of the butter 4 providedwith the tubular projection 8 is pushed back into its end position (Fig.6) while the cylindrical slide valve 12 of the hopper-shaped buffer 3 isforced back into its rear end position by the tubular projection 8 ofthe opposite buffer 4. By this means the transverse connection betweenthe slide valve casings of the two opposite pairs of buii ers is broken,but the continuous connection of the two conduits of the vehicle isestablished by the intermediary of the two oppositely situatedcylindrical slide valves which are opened by the collision, while in thecase of the rear pair of buffers of the colliding vehicle, as the slidevalves of these buffers remain unaffected, communication from one trainpipe to the other is maintained. Accordingly when any number of vehiclesare coupled a pneumatic train pipe is formed which leads from thelocomotive to the last vehicle and thence back to the locomotive. Inorder, however, that the cylindrical slide valves may remain in theposition resulting from the collision and the train pipe connectionthereby effected be maintained, the buffers are provided with a hookcoupling by means of which the two buffers are held together and whichis released simultaneously with the vehicle coupling by compressed air.The coupling consists of twoarmed levers 34, 35 (Fig. 12) arranged onthe under side of the spring casing and retatable about pivots 33 (Figs.land the lower lever located on the buffer 4 being formed as a hookwhich is opposite a pas sage 36 in the buffer. meet, the hook passesthrough the opening 36 and an opening 37 provided. on the other buffer 3and engages over its rear edge. The lever 36 of the other buffer ends ina rod which in the coupling position is situated opposite the hook onthe other vehicle and serves for releasing it, (Fig. 12). Each of theother ends of the levers are connected with a piston of a pressurecylinder which pistons release the levers. The pressure cylinder 38,which is arranged in the plane of the levers, contains the piston 39, 40be tween which a space 41 is left free for the introduction of thecompressed air. The piston rods 42 are provided with shoes 43 subjectedto the influence of springs 44.

One end of the springs bears against the end wall of the bushing whileat the other end they press against the flange 45 of the shoes. Theseshoes are jointed to the levers. By means of this arrangement of springsthe result is attained that if the rotation of the levers occurs whenthe buffers meet, only the shoes are displaced while the pistons remainunaffected. The pressure cylinder is connected by a tubular part 56,proceeding from the space or chamber 41, with a second pres- When thebuffers sure cylinder 57, whose piston 59 or piston rod 60 (subjected tothe action of a spring 58) serves for releasing the vehicle coupling.

The operation of the releasing device is as follows: If compressed airproceeds from the locomotive through the train pipe 61 into the frontpressure cylinder 88, the pistons 39, 40 areforced apart against theaction of the springs 44 and the two levers 3e, 35 are thereby rotated.By this means one hook lever is disengaged from the buffers while theother lever releases the hook lever 34: of the opposite vehicle.Simultaneously the piston 59 of the other pressure cylinder 57 is forcedforward, its rod 60 striking against the vehicle coupling and releasingit. If the pressure is relieved all the parts return to their normalposition under the influence of the springs 44, 58. The conduit 61serving for the supply of compressed air pro ceeds from a rotary slidevalve.- A valve of this kind is inserted in each of the two pipes 1 and2 and after it has been adjusted defleets the compressed air from themain pipe to the pressure cylinders. The rotary slide valve consists ofa solid cylinder 63 packed in a bushing 62 (Figs. 18 to 16) comprisingin the manner of the three way cook a radial bore 64: and a passage 65branching from this bore. In the normal position of the valveillustrated in Fig. 13 the continuous connection of the pipe 1 or 2 isestablished by the passage 64. If, however, the slide is rotated through90 in a contra-clockwise direction (Fig. 14) the continuous conduit isinterrupted and connection established between this conduit and theconduit 61 proceeding to the pressure cylinder 38, 57. It is thereforeobvious that, as in the construc 'tion previously described, any desirednumber of vehicles can be simultaneously detached from the locomotiveafter the slide valve located on the vehicle immediately following thenumber of vehicles to be uncoupled has been adjusted. In order, however,

to permit of uncoupling a number of series of vehicles from thelocomotive, after the various slide valves have previously beenadjusted, the slide valves in the return conduit of the vehicle inquestion must be adjusted; it is likewise necessary that after a seriesof vehicles has been uncoupled, the slide valve should automatically bereturned to thenormal position so that a conduit is provided to the nextadjusted slide valve. This object is obtained in the following way: Theprolonged spindle 66 (Figs. 17 and 18) of the rotary slide valve ismounted in the side wall of the vehicle frame 67 and carries a toothedwheel 68 which meshes in the lower toothed end of a rod 69 while in theother upper toothed end of the rod a second toothed wheel 70 engages.Upon the shaft 71 of this toothed wheel an arm 7 3 loaded with a weight72 and serving as a handle is secured. The arm comprises a joint 24 insuch a manner that it can be turned over in its direction of rotation.If the slide valve is to be adjusted, the weighted arm is rocked towardthe rearward vehicle through 90 and the weight is suspended in a fork 75provided on the vehicle as shown in Fig. 17 r in broken lines. Owing tothe transmission of the movement by means of the rack'69 and the toothedwheels 68, 7 O, the valve is rotated in the manner described. Now if forexample two, live, ten and so forth vehicles are to be disconnected froma train, the weights are arranged in the shunting direction, that is tosay rearward, by the shunters beginning from the end of the train, insuch a manner that the series of vehicles to be uncoupled are situatedbetween the raised weights. After this everything is attended to fromthe locomotive, that is to say, automatically. The compressed airflowing in encounters an open outward pipe, passes over the last vehicleinto the return pipe where it is deflected in the rotary slide valve 63of the vehicle next to the end of the train into the pressure cylinder38, 57 and un couples the first series of vehicles. "When the train isdivided, the weighted arm 78, hinged to the last vehicle of theremaining train-division and having rested upon the support 75 of theadjoining and first vehicles of the detached division, drops, and by therotation of its shaft 71 and the agency of the toothed wheel 70, therack 69, and the toothed wheel 68 mounted on the axle 66 of the rotaryslide valve, the rotary slide valve is returned to its normal positioni. e. the shutoff-position. Now as owing to the retractive movement ofthe cylindrical slide valves 12, 25 in thebulfers of the vehicle whichhas now become the last vehicle of the train, connection is againestablished between the two main pipes 1 and 2 and a passage to thereturn pipe has been formed through the rotary slide valve of thisvehicle, the compressed air reaches the next adjusted rotary slide valveand uncouples the next series of vehicles. This operation is repeatedfor every adjusted rotary slide valve. In this connection it should benoted that in the first place the compressed air flowing in acts on thepiston16 forced rearward by the collision and as shown by arrows in Fig.6 presses it onto the conical tubular projection 8 of the enteringbuffer.

In order to produce pressure on the outer annular face with the form ofpiston illustrated in Fig. l, passages 76 can be provided in theoppositely located cylindrical slide valve to permit the compressed airto reach the outer annular surface so that it is able to press upon thewhole of the end face of the piston. In order that, with the stepwiseuncoupling of the series of vehicles, when the first series has beenuncoupled the next series may not become unintentionally uncoupled bythe compressed air remaining, it is necessary to reduce the pressure inthe remaining conduit or to destroy it altogether. in order to attainthis result an exhaust 77 (Fig. 19) is inserted in the main pipe 1 or 2and this valve is operated by the fall of the weighted lever when aseries of vehicles is detached. With this object a plate 79 comprising aspring arm 78 is mounted on the spindle 66 of the rotary slide valve 63directly beside the latter. The end of a lever arm 81 connected with thevalve rod 80 extends within reach of the rotary path of this spring armso that when the plate is rotated by the falling weighted lever the arm81 is raised and the valve thereby opened.

As already stated with the assistance of the rotary slide valves thecontinuous conduit can also be employed for actuating the compressed airbrake. This is effected in the following manner: The rotary slide valvecomprises an axial bore 82 (Figs. 13 to 16) which in the normal positionand in the position for the uncoupling of the vehicle is covered by theend walls of the bushing 62. If, however, the rotary slide valve isrotated through 90 in a clockwise direction, the bore 82 comes between apipe 83 proceeding from the other train pipe 1 or 2 and opening into thebushing (Figs. 15, 16 and and a pipe 85 leading to the brake cylinder84, while the conduit in which the rotary slide valve is situated is cutoff. By this adjustment of the rotary slide valve communication isestablished between the adjacent length of pipe 1 or 2 and the brakecylinder. Now it before the departure of a train the rotary slide valve63 of the several vehicles, that is to say, the valves in the returnpipe are adjusted in the manner already described with the weightedlever rotated toward the locomotive and suspended in a rack 86 providedon the vehicle (Fig. 18) when compressed air is admitted to the pipe allthe vehicles will be simultaneously braked.

In the normal posit-ion and also in the two end positions the weightedlever 73 is automatically secured by a ratchet wheel 87 mounted on theshaft 71 of the gear wheel 70 (Figs. 17, 18) a spring locking pawl 88engaging in this ratchet wheel. In order to eltect automatic coupling ofthe heating pipe simultaneously with the coupling of vehicles or seriesof vehicles, the heating pipes 89, 90 on both sides of the vehicle (Fig.23) are carried to the butter plates and the ends are formed similarlyto the ends of the pressure pipe for the purpose of obtaining a goodjoint. lVith this object one pipe passes through the plate 5 of onebutler, preferably that comprising the tubular projections 8, and endsin a conical projection 91 from the front of the bufier (Fig. 20) whilethe other butter comprises an opening 92 corresponding with the tubularprojection. This opening is covered by a bushing 93 with which theconduit 89 oi the other vehicle connects.

As is the case in the hopper-shaped butter,

a packing piston 95 provided with resilient tubular insertion 9e isdisplaceably arranged in the bushing. When the buffers come together,the tubular projection 91 of one butter enters the conical opening ofthe piston of the other butter, whereby the two pipes are coupledtogether. By the pressure exerted on the end face of the piston by thesteam flowing toward the tubular proj ection the piston is pressedagainst the projection, thereby forming a good joint between the twopipes at the coupling place. In order, however, that the good jointbetween the pipe ends both of the pressure conduit and of the heatingconduit may not be impaired or entirely destroyed by the jolting of thevehicles during running, the buffers are rockably mounted by means ofthe springs 96 (Fig. 10). The springs are mounted on a third buffer 97arranged between the other two buffers and its ends engage sockets 98 inwhich the butters are mounted so as to be displaceable axially. Thisarrangement enables the butters to rock both vertically andhorizontally, independently of the vehicle, while relative displacementduring negotiating curves is rendered possible owing to the fact thatthe pipe 32 (Fig. 10) connecting the two butter casings 11, :26 issecured to the former by means of screw-caps 99 so thatthe pipe is ableto rotate at the fixing places during relative displacement of thecasings. The two butter casings are connected by a web 100 in such amanner that the web embraces the rear ends of the slide valve casings bymeans of eyes and is held by nuts 101, convex on their inner sidescrewed on to the casings. Arms 102 of a piston rod 104 subjected to theaction of the spring 103 of the buffer 97 engage these webs. This butter97 serves to absorb the remaining shock after the coupling of the twobutters.

If the two butters of the train pipe meet, the first shock is absorbedby them until they are coupled one with the other so that no furtheryielding is possible. The coupled buffers which thus constitute a rigidsystem owing to the fact that they are able to slide in the sockets 98transmit the remaining shock into the spring 103 of the butter 97 by theintermediary of the web 100 and of the piston 105, this springcompleting its absorption. The spring bears against a plate 105 which isconnected with the piston rod by means of a ball joint 106 in order toinsure the mobility of the whole of the buffer system. The plate isprovided with studs 107 on both sides and these studs pass of an 'eye110mounted on the shaft 109 and inclined forward, and of a rotatable hook111 jointed thereto. The jointing of these two parts is efiected owingto the fact that the bent arm 112 of the eye engages by means of a stud115 an arm 114- secured to the shaft 113 of the hook and likewiselocated at an angle to the hook. By this means the hook is obliged toeii'ect a corresponding movement when the eye moves and vice versa. Thehook is formed with a slot 116 through which the shaft 113 which is madequadrangular at this place passes so that the hook is displaced by theshaft but is able to move longitudinally. A, slide member 117 (Fig. 22)is arranged inthe hook; it is subjected to the action of a spring 118which tends to press the slide member backward. The slide member comprises at its front end a projection 119 which is guided in a recess 120in the hook and projects somewhat onto the attaching face of the hook.The rear end of the hook is formed as a bolt 121 which comes oppositethe lower edge of the vehicle frame 67. A two-armed lever 122 isarranged in a recess 125 in the hook; this lever is mounted on the shaft113 which at this place is cylindrically formed. One arm of the leverengages through a recess 128 in the slide memher, while the other arm isconnected with the hook by a link 12a. When two vehicles provided withthis coupling meet, the eye of one vehicle engages the hook of the othervehicle. The lever arm of the eye then presses the arm of the hookforward and causes the hook to rotate downward until, finally, theover-weighted eye of one vehicle falls in whereby the vehicles arecoupled. On starting, the eye of the other vehicle act-s on theprojecting part of the slide member which it draws forward. By thismeans owing to the transmission of movement of the lever and link in theopposite direction the hook is pressed backward and engages beneath thebreast of the vehicle by means of a bolt, thereby locking the coupling.Owing to the displacement of the hook it is shortened so thatsimultaneously with the locking of the coupling the vehiclesareautomatically brought closer together. This coupling is detached bythe piston rod 00 of the pressure cylinder which projects in the otherside of the breast of the vehicle striking against the lever arm 112 ofthe eye. 1

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letterslatent is: V

1. An automatic railway coupling com prising in combination withcoupling means and operating mechanism connecting the train linecircuits with said coupling means so as to operate the same, twoconduits extending the whole length of the vehicle,

pipes connecting said two conducts with each other toward both ends ofsaid vehicle, a distributing member interposed in each of said conduitsand located on each vehicle, a relief valve in each of said conduits,means for automatically operating said} relief valve when the-vehicleupon which it is carried is uncoupled, cylindrical slide valvesconnected cylindrical slide valves being adapted when the vehlcles' arecoupled up to interrupt communicatio-n between the two conduits throughsaid valves and to establish a through connection between all theconduits on all of the vehicles.

2. An automatic railway coupling comprising in combination with couplingmeans and operating mechanism connecting the train line circuits withsaid coupling means so as to operate the same, a source of compressedfluid, two conduits extending the entire length of the vehicle andconnected with said source of fluid, a coupling device, means foroperating said device, connections from said conduits to said operatingmeans, pipes connecting said two conduits with each other toward theends of said vehicle, a distributing member interposed in each of saidconduits and located on each vehicle, a relief valve in each of saidconduits upon each vehicle, means for automatically operating saidrelief valve when the vehicle upon which it is carried is uncoupled,cylindrical slide valves connected with the ends of the said conduits,said cylindrical slide valves being adapted when the vehicles arecoupled to interrupt communication between the two conduits and toestablish a through connection between the conduits on all the vehicles,

and springs for reestablishing communica-' with the ends of both of saidconduits, said for automatically operating said relief valve when thevehicle upon which it is carried is uncoupled, cylindrical slide valvesconnected with the ends of both of said conduits, said slide valve onone conduit at one end of the vehicle being formed into a taperingportion, a member having a flared opening adapted to receive one of suchconically tapering portions, said member being connected with the saidslide valve on the same conduit at the other end of the vehicle, apacking ring located in said member, and a spring engaging each of saidcylindrical slide valves and adapted to reestablish communicationbetween said two conduits through said slide valves on the uncoupling ofthe vehicle.

4. An automatic railway coupling comprising in combination with couplingmeans and operating mechanism connecting the train line circuits withsaid coupling means so as to operate the same, two conduits extendingthe whole length of the vehicle, pipes connecting said two conduits witheach other toward both ends of said vehicle, a distributing memberinterposed in each of said conduits and located on each vehicle, arelief valve in each of said conduits, means for automatically operatingsaid relief valve when the vehicle upon which it is carried isuncoupled, cylindrical slide valves connected with the ends of both ofsaid conduits, said slide valve on one conduit at one end of the vehiclebeing formed into a tapering portion, a member having a liared openingadapted to receive one of such conically tapering portions, said memberbeing con nected with the said slide valve on the same conduit at theother end of the vehicle, a packing ring located in said member, aspring engaging each of said cylindrical slide valves and adapted toreestablish communication between said two conduits through said slidevalves on the uncoupling of? the vehicle, a casing surrounding each ofsaid cylindrical slide valves, a buffer member formed at the extremityof said casing, hooked levers for connecting the meeting bu tiers of twovehicles together, a cylinder, a piston working therein, a. connectionor said piston to each of said levers for releasing the levers, andmeans for admitting compressed fluid to said cylinder.

5. An automatic railway coupling comprising in combination with couplingmeans and operating mechanism connecting the train line circuits withsaid coupling means so as to operate the same, two conduits extendingthe whole length of the vehicle, pipes connecting said two conduits witheach other toward both ends of said vehicle, a distributing memberinterposed in each of said conduits and located on each vehicle, arelief valve in each of said conduits, means for automatically operatingsaid relief valve when the vehicle upon which it is carried 1suncoupled, cylindrical slide valves connect-- ed with the ends of bothof said conduits, said slide valve on one conduit at one end of thevehicle being formed into a tapering portion, a member having a flaredopening adapted to receive one of such conically tapering portions, saidmember being connected wit-h the said slide valve on the same conduit atthe other end of the vehicle, a packing ring located in said member, aspring engaging each of said cylindrical slide valves and adapted toreestablish communication between said two conduits through said slidevalve on the uncoupling of the vehicle, a casing surrounding each ofsaid cylindrical slide valves, a bufier member formed at the extremityof said casing, hooked levers for connecting the meeting buffers of twovehicles together, a cylinder, a piston working therein, piston rods, amovable shoe upon each of said piston rods, a spring sur -ounding eachof said shoes, and connections from said shoes to the said hookedlevers, substantially as described.

6. An automatic railway coupling comprising in combination with couplingmeans and operating mechanism connecting the train line circuits withsaid coupling means so as to operate the same, two conduits extendingthe whole length of the vehicle, pipes connecting said two conduits witheach other toward both ends of said vehicle, a distributing memberinterposed in each of said conduits and located on each vehicle, arelief valve in each of said conduits, means for automatically operatingsaid relief valve when the vehicle upon which it is carried isuncoupled, cylindrical slide valves connected with the ends of both ofsaid conduits, said slide valve on one conduit at one end of the vehiclebeing formed into a tapering portion, a member having a flared openingadapted to receive one of such conically tapering portions, said memberbeing con nected with the said slide valve on the same conduit at theother end of the vehicle, a conically formed resilient sleeve arrangedwithin said member, said sleeve being provided with incisions extendingalternately on each side and serving to insure a tight joint with theconically tapering portions projecting int-o said member, and a springengaging each of said cylindrical slide valves and adapted toreestablish communi cation between said two conduits through said slidevalve on the uncoupling of the vehicle.

7. An automatic railway coupling comprising in combination with couplingmeans and operating mechanism connecting the train line circuits withsaid coupling means so as to operate the same, two conduits extendingthe whole length of the vehicle and communicating with each other at theends,

distributing members interposed in said conduits and located on saidvehicle, an automatically opening valve in said conduits, cylindricalslide valves connected with the ends of the said conduits and adaptedwhen the vehicles are coupled up to interrupt communication between thetwo conduits and to establish a through connection between all theconduits of all the vehicles, springs acting on said slide valves forire-establishing communication between the conduits on each side of anyparticular vehicle when same is uncoupled, the ends of said pipe beingex-, tended in the form of butters having the shape of slide valves, theslide valve on the conduit on one side of the vehicle tapering forwardand the other one recessed in which a packing ring is displaceablyarranged and into which a conically formed resilient sleeve is arranged,said sleeve being pro vided with incisions extending alternately on eachside for the purpose of obtaining a good joint, hooked levers forcoupling said. buffers together, and a member connected therewith andwith a. piston moving in a cylinder for releasing said hooked levers.

8. An automatic railway coupling comprising in combination with couplingmeans and operating mechanism connecting the train line circuits withsaid coupling means so as to operate the same, two conduits extendingthe whole length of the vehicle and communicating with each other at theends,

distributing members interposed in said conduits and located on saidvehicle, an automatically opening valve in said conduits, cylindricalslide valves connect-ed with the ends of the said conduits and adaptedwhen the vehicles are coupled up to interrupt communication between thetwo conduits and to establish a through connection between all theconduits of all of the vehicles, springs acting on said slide valves forreestablishing communication between the conduits on each side of anyparticular vehicle when same is uncoupled, theends of said pipes beingextended in the form of butters having the shape of slide valves, theslide valveon the conduit on one side of the vehicle tapering forwardand the other one recessed in which a packing ring is displaceablyarranged and into which a conically formed resilient sleeve is arrangedsaid sleeve being provided with incisions extending alternately on eachside for the purpose oi" obtaining a good joint, hooked levers forcoupling said butters together, a member pivotally connected therewithand with shoes of piston rods located in cylinders for releasing thehooked levers from the buffers and springs acting in opposition tooutward movement of said pistons for locking the buffers of the vehiclestogether.

9. A railway coupling comprising in combination with coupling means andoperating mechanism connecting the train line circuits with saidcoupling means so as to operate the same, two conduits, asource of fluidpressure connected therewith, pipes connecting said conduits toward theend of each vehicle, a distributing member interposed in each of saidconduits upon each vehicle, slide valves connected with the ends of saidconduits, a casing for each of said valves, bufier members formed byeach of said casings, a shock absorber arranged between said casings,and connections from each of said valves to said shock absorber wherebysome of the shock incident to the coupling operation can be transmittedto said shock absorber, substantially as described.

10. A railway coupling comprising in combination with coupling means andoperating mechanism connecting the train line circuits with saidcoupling means so as to operate the same, two conduits, a source offluid pressure connected therewith, pipes connecting said conduitstoward the end of each vehicle, a distributing member interposed in eachof said conduits upon each vehicle, slide valves connected with the endsor" said conduits, a casing for each of said valves, buffer membersformed by each of said casings, a resilient mounting for said buffermembers, comprising a cylinder arranged between said casings, a pistonwithin said cylinder, a spring resisting the inward movement of saidpiston, a universal joint in said piston, connections from said joint tothe valve casings, projections from said piston extending through thecylinder, and links connected to said projections.

11. An automatic railway coupling comprising a source of fluid pressure,two conduits connected therewith and extending throughout the length ofthe vehicle,coupling devices, pressure cylinders for operating saidcoupling devices, a distributing member interposed in each of saidconduits upon each vehicle, said distributing member comprising a rotaryvalve with passages therethrough adapted to maintain communicationthroughout the length of conduit and when operated to lead fluid intothe cylinders for the operation of the coupling device, substantially asdescribed.

12. An automatic railway coupling com prising in combination withcoupling means .and operating mechanism connecting the train linecircuits with said coupling means so as to operate the same, a sourceofiiuid under pressure, two conduits connected therewith and extendingthroughout the length of the train, and a distributing member interposedin each of said conduits upon each ing a rotary valve formed withpassages therethrough, a spindle for said rotary valve, and means forlocking said spindle against rotation.

vehicle, said distributing member compris- 13. An automatic railwaycoupling comprising in combination with coupling means and operatingmechanism connecting the train line circuits with said coupling means 5so as to operate the same, a source of fluid under pressure, twoconduits connected therewith and extending throughout the length of thetrain, and a distributing member interposed in each of said conduitsupon 10 each vehicle, said distributing member comprising a rotary valveformed with passages thcrethrough, a spindle for said rotary valve andmeans for locking said spindle against rotation, a weighted lever forreturning said 15 rotary valve to its original position upon theuncoupling of the vehicle, a resilient arm on said valve spindle, avalve in each conduit, and a projection from said valve adapted to beengaged by said resilient arm to cause the temporary opening of saidvalve, substan- 2O tially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLF LANZDORF.

Witnesses FRANZ REITER, AUons'r FUGGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained' for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

